Electroplating of metallic articles



July 14,v 1936. J. KRONSBEIN 2,047,413

ELECTRQPLATING OF METALLIC ARTICLES Filed March 29-, 19:55

Patented July 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE John Kronsbein, Smethwick, England, assignor of one-half to Charles Fredrick Neale, Birmingham, England Application March 29, 1935, Serial No. 13,723 In Great Britain May 28, 1934 2 Claims. icl zoi-s This invention 'is for improvements in connecticn with the electro-plating of metallic articles, and more particularly refers to the mounting and supporting of such articles for the electrodepositing operation within the vats.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for electro-plating metal articles comprising an electrolytic vat, a metallic disc or discs, wheel or wheels, rotatably mounted therein with the lower half or halves submerged in the electrolyte, means for mechanically rotating the disc or discs, wheel or wheels, and means for electrically magnetizing the same whereby articles may be attached by magnetic attraction to an exposed peripheral part to be submerged and afterwards exposed for removal.

Two or more pairs of discs or wheels may be used with one vat and an endless flexible iron belt or belts placed over the discs or wheels so that the articles to be treated may be attached to the belts by magnetic attraction derived from the discs.

' In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practice, reI-f .25 erence may be had to the appended explanatory sheet oi." drawings, which illustrates more or less diagrammatically embodiments of the, present invention.

Figure 1 illustrates in diagram'maticelevation 30 an electrolytic vat having immersing means constructed according to the present invention.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate diagrammatically a modification hereinafter referred to. g In that embodiment of the invention shown in :35 Figure 1 of the'drawing, a'rotating disc or wheel mechanism is disclosed. it indicates the vat, b two metallic discs or wheels of magnetic material mounted on a shaft N. b are insulating dies on each side of each,metallic disc or wheel it b, and b is a soft iron core whereon a coil b is wound constituting a solenoid, the extremities of the cell being taken to brush contacts b. b is a sprocket wheel by'means of which the primary discs or wheels b may be slowly rotated. b" is the anode connection and b the cathode connection;

In operation any small articles to be treated are placed against the peripheral parts 01 the magnetized discs or wheels b and are submerged 5 by the rotation of said discs or wheels, and re-' moved Irom the other side of the apparatus, this operation being capable of being performed in a particularly expeditious manner. In the case oi non-ferrous articles requiring treatment, a mel0 tallic bar 0 may be used spanning the magnetic discs or wheels b, the said bar c having any appropriate means 0 vfor securing the non-ferrous articles.

In the Figures 2 and' 3 c c, 0 illustrate mag- 15 netic wheels similar in construction to that shown in Figure 1,- endless flexible iron bands d and (1 being placed over the discs or wheels. The articles to be treated are attached to the bands ti it by magnetic attraction influenced 20 from the discs or wheels 0 0", 0 e is the anode and I the cathode.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. Apparatus for electro-plating metal articles, comprising an electrolytic vat, two metallic wheels of magnetic material rotatably mounted upon a horizontal spindle with the lower halves submerged in the electrolyte, a solenoid interposed between the. wheels for electrically magnetizing the same, insulating discs attached to the faces 01' the wheels, and means ior mechanically rotating the wheels.

2. Apparatus for electro-plating metal articles, comprising an electrolytic vat, metallic wheels or magnetic material rotatably mounted there on with the lower halves submerged in the electrolyte, means for mechanically rotating the wheels, means for electrically magnetizing the same, and an endless metallic belt placed over the wheels for the location 01 articles'by mag-' netic attraction derived from the wheels.

JOHN KRONSBEIN, 

